"Do You Believe in Miracles?"

As I was somewhere between awake and asleep yesterday morning I sensed the Lord dropping Scripture in my heart. It was out of the Old Testament, 2 Kings 5:1-14.

The story tells of Naaman, a commander of the Syrian army who was afflicted with leprosy. Their servant girl tells Naaman's wife, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.”

So, Naaman went over to the prophet, Elisha's house expecting to meet up with the prophet himself. Instead he got a servant relaying Elisha's message of, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times (indicating to me a process to perfection), and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean."

This really set Naaman off and he went stomping off indignantly and quite miffed to say the least. He had his own preconceived ideas of how his healing was to take place and fully expected the prophet to come and personally greet him, lay hands on him and pray, and that would be that, end of story, healed and off on his merry way.

In his mind it made no sense to do things this way. And why dip in that dirty ole Jordan river for pete's sake? Some of the best water could be found in no less than three other rivers, which he gladly pointed out to the messenger. So, in his pride he went away in a rage.

Luckily, Naaman's servants got the guts up to confront him saying, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”

Thankfully, he came to his senses, humbled himself and heeded the command of Elisha. Scripture says, 'So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.'

Since being diagnosed with breast cancer I too had wished that an instantaneous miracle would occur in my life. But honestly I knew through so many other Scriptures the Lord had spoken into my heart weeks ago, even before a breast biopsy or a "cancer" diagnosis that He had begun to prepare me. He had determined the way He would heal me and the road He would lead me on when the time came.

As we seek Him He truly does prepare us, directing us in the way He'd have us go for His purpose and plans. I can't say I have a full understanding of why I have to go through this but I read throughout Scripture of the faithfulness of God. He transforms and raises us up sometimes out of the darkest places, revealing things to our hearts that apart from these experiences we could never know.

The Lord is performing miracles around us and in us more than we may recognize. I was most recently impressed this morning as I thought of the awesome compassion and healing the Lord works through others as He fills them with such great wisdom and skill to help bring us back to restored health and strength. There have certainly been times in my life as well where I have experienced a touch from God and been made well instantly. My husband, Jeff, has too. So much of my life has been a miracle.

God cannot be placed in a box. His ways are so multifaceted and we cannot fathom the depths of Him. I'm reminded of a passage from, Isaiah 55:8-9 - " For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. " For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."

I shared with Jeff tonight, I believe I (we) am here for a reason and it's God's reason; He has me properly positioned. There are lessons to be learned that I couldn't learn anywhere else. Sometimes there are connections to be made. Surely my life's path has changed but I can take comfort that He is sovereignly and lovingly guiding my every step and watching over my life for good.

Step by step He leads me and I will follow in all of His ways. Praise His name!